Frequency of intestinal parasitic infection among children under 5 years of age in Baghdad province

Background: Diarrheal diseases are one of the leading causes of childhood morbidity and mortality in many tropical and subtropical countries especially with poor sanitation and unsafe water also responsible for most cases of childhood. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of parasitic infection among children under 5 years of age and study the relation with different socio- demographic. Materials and methods: Two hundred fourty stool samples collected from children attending to the central teaching hospital for pediatric in Baghdad city - Iraq, during the period from March 2010 till March 2011. All stool samples were laboratory diagnosed by direct stool examination. Results: We examined 240 children with diarrhea, 202 cases were found to be positive for intestinal parasites with infection rate was (84.16%). The infection in males (54.58%) was higher than in female (45.42%). Most common parasite was Entamoeba histolytica (41.25%) fallowed by Giardia lambila (34.17%) and Cryptosporidium parvum (8.75%). Also low percentage record within children with breast feeding and urban area. Conclusion: intestinal infection is common among children in Baghdad city and Entamoeba histilytica is the main parasite that causes infection. So we suggest that the city administrators need to pay more attention in the prevenetion of parasitic infections along with the improvement in educational environmental and sanitary conditions.